Kathmandu, May 19 (ANI) — Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma has formally taken office as Nepal’s 33rd Chief Justice after his appointment and oath of office. President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed Sharma following his unanimous approval by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee. He will begin supervising bench allocation and daily case management at the Supreme Court from Wednesday.
Sharma will serve a six-year term under Article 129(4) of the Constitution, eligible to complete the full tenure before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65. His appointment concludes a closely watched selection process that prompted significant political and legal debate.
The Constitutional Council recommended Sharma even though he ranks fourth in seniority on the Supreme Court. The council’s choice bypassed Acting Chief Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla and other more senior justices, including Kumar Regmi and Hari Prasad Phuyal. That departure from the long-standing seniority convention prompted disagreement within the council: National Assembly Chair Narayan Dahal and opposition representative Bhishmaraj Angdembe formally dissented, arguing that seniority has traditionally guided nominations for the court’s leadership and warning against changing that practice without clear institutional reasons.
Supporters of Sharma’s nomination countered that merit, professional competence and judicial experience should weigh heavily in selecting the head of the judiciary, not seniority alone. Legal experts and stakeholders, including members of the Nepal Bar Association, voiced mixed reactions—some welcomed a focus on merit while others cautioned that bypassing senior judges without transparent justification could raise concerns about executive influence in judicial appointments.
Born on June 18, 1970, in Birgunj, Parsa district, Sharma has an extensive legal background and is related to former Chief Justice Damodar Sharma. He earned his law degree from Nepal Law Campus in Kathmandu, an LL.M. from the University of Pune in India, and a Ph.D. in Labour Law from Tribhuvan University.
Sharma began legal practice in the 1990s, working in private firms and consultancy roles before joining the judiciary. He served as an appellate court judge and was elevated to the Supreme Court on April 18, 2019. Since February 2024 he has served on the Constitutional Bench and has participated in national and international legal forums, contributing to discussions on judicial reform and access to justice.
His elevation marks a notable moment in Nepal’s judicial history because it breaks with the established seniority convention for appointing the Chief Justice, a change that will shape debate over judicial appointments and institutional norms going forward.
(This report is based on a syndicated feed.)
